Caring for your Fine Oriental Rugs

Oriental Rugs are truly works of art, and are an excellent investment to add character and warmth to your home. These rugs can be very valuable, and it is really important to know how to properly care for them. Here are some things that every Oriental or Persian Rug owner should be doing to maintain their rugs...

Vaccum: Vaccuming is important when it comes to caring for your rug, but should be done very carefully.  It is best not to use a beat brush vaccum at all, but if you do, make sure the brush is set so that it has as little contact with the fibers as possible. Another option is to use just the vaccum nozzle.  Vaccuming helps to protect your rug from wearing pre-maturely, and will also help keep dirt from settling deep within the dense fibers of the rug. Dirt is abrasive to the fibers, so it is best to keep as much dirt out of the rug as possible. It is also very important NOT to vaccum the fringes, as this can be damaging to those fibers.

Rotation/Inspection: To avoid wear from common trafficways on your rug, you should rotate it every 6 months.  Rotating also helps with areas that may be getting direct sunlight, and gives the dyes some protection from fading.  At this time, you can also be sure to examine for any damaging infestations including moths and beetles, which are attracted to the wool or silk proteins in these rugs.  If you do find evidence of an infestation, contact your cleaning professional immediately to have your rug deep cleaned.

Stain Removal: Spills and stains on your rug should be addressed immediately.  Stains can be addressed by blotting with a clean, white towel from the outside of the stain to the center.  Do NOT rub the stain, as this can be damaging to the fibers.  We also advise not to use any kind of water or club soda to clean the stain, as many rugs have dyes that can bleed. If the stain is not removed easily, it is best to call a trained professional to take care of it rather than taking other measures yourself. 

Professional Rug Cleaning:  Only have your rug deep-cleaned by a trained professional.  Do not attempt deep cleaning on your own, or trust it to someone who is not properly trained.  They will need to take your rug off-site to properly clean it. These rugs can have dyes that bleed easily, and are made out of fibers that need to be identified properly before cleaning.  There is no 100% guarantee that your rug won't bleed (colors run and mix), but a trained professional has ways of preventing this and getting the best results. This is a very important step in caring for your rug and adding longevity to its beauty.